This report provides an update on the actions in progress to improve the Council’s policies, systems and processes around Information Governance.

The Committee considered a report outlining the action underway to improve the Council’s policies, systems and processes for Information Governance following several limited assurance reports in this area.

The report provided an update on: the action being taken to address the backlog of Subject Access Requests; the on-time responses to FOI requests, which stood at to 75.6% in Quarter 2 and the ongoing work to increase responses within the required timescale to 90%, as expected by the Information Commissioner’s Office; data transparency; the work of the Information Governance (IG) Board; the Information Management Strategy, whichset out the Council’s approach to information management and governance; and uptake of the compulsory Cyber Security training for all staff and Members, which would be followed-up to improve compliance.   

The report stated that the current focus would be on continuing the work with the BFfC and DCASC Data Stewards and starting work with the Data Stewards from DoR and DEGNS. The action plan work continued from the Breach Management process review, implementation of the redaction software, testing of the governance forms on the new CRM system and design, testing and roll out the new suite of both Cyber and IG training.

Resolved:       That the progress being made to improve the Council’s Information Governance be noted and the future actions outlined in the report be endorsed.